&#34;do-it-yourself&#34; floral arrangement kits



g- 18, 1964 v. J. ZERBO, JR 3,144,932

"DO--ITYOURSELF" FLORAL ARRANGEMENT KITS Filed March 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Mane/a J. Zseao, .fe.

ATTORNEY 18, 1954 v. J. ZERBO, JR 3,144,932

"DO-IT-YOURSEL.F" FLORAL ARRANGEMENT KITS Filed March 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Diagram be/ow represepfis in sfyra foam and Me proper order of assemg/ 2 Yel/aw Pass/5n 4 PAI/adeflaran F/awers C/usfens' INVENTOR I/ALEE/O J." Ze'eaa, Je.

ATTORNEY 3,144,932 DO-HT-YUURSELIF FLORAL ARRANGEMENT KITS Valeria Ii. Zerho, lira, New York, N.Y., assignor to Overseas Service Corporation, Washington, D.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. ill, 1964, Ser. No. 351,983 4 Claims. (Ci. ass-47 This invention relates to do-it-yourself floral arrangement kits, and more particularly is concerned with combination packages of artificial flowers with supporting means therefor which are sold as combined packages and which are adapted to be assembled by a purchaser of the packages in a manner to guarantee the production of esthetic floral arrangements.

It is the object of the present invention to package the essential components of an artistic floral arrangement in a box which also contains a porous block of material of predetermined shape adapted to have impaled therein the stems of the artificial plants in the box according to an instruction guide, also forming part of the package, which guide includes a pictorial representation of the floral arrangement which is to be assembled according to the best artistic taste and judgment of a specialist in the field of flower arranging.

It is another object of the present invention to package, at low cost, only the desired quantity of flower components which are necessary to attain the desired esthetic effect, so that no waste arises.

It is another object of the invention to make possible the marketing of artificial flowers in predetermined groups of species to attain a large number of diverse floral arrangements, leaving to the judgment of the purchaser the ultimate selection of any desired floral arrangement which is displayed pictorially through a display Window provided in the cover of the box containing the artificial flowers, with the actual artificial flowers in the container visible through a second display window provided in the cover.

In the interest of economy, the pictorial representation of each floral arrangement assortment may be printed upon one face of an instruction card, while the opposite face of the card bears the instructions and indicia for mounting the floral components in a predetermined relation in order to attain the desired ornamental effects. The card may be associated detachably with boxes of uniform construction provided with display openings in the covers thereof, so that a large number of assortments may be marketed with only a single type of container.

The combination package in accordance with the invention includes a block of Styrofoam or analogous hard porous material which is shaped critically for the reception of the artificial flowers therein and which is adapted to be disposed in a floral receptacle of predetermined size and shape to enhance the esthetic appearance of the complete assembly. Preferably the styrofoam block is provided with a layer of adhesive material on one face thereof so that it may adhere to the base of the desired receptacle, and in order to protect this adhesive material from deteriorating, a protective sheet of fabric or paper is affixed to the adhesive for eventual stripping away preparatory to the block being mounted in a flower bowl, vase or other floral receptacle.

States Patent It is the general object of the invention to facilitate the economical marketing of artificial flowers in special assortments without damage or breaking in shipment, and to afford the purchaser of such flowers a wide selection of flower combinations which may be assembled by him as a do-it-yourself kit, with the attendant satisfaction which normally is experienced only by creative artists in the field.

Other objects and purposes will appear from the de tailed description of the invention following hereinafter, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the combination package of artificial flowers as the same is shipped and displayed for purchase by the ultimate consumer;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the package showing the floral components in the box together with the styrofoam mounting block therefor, with the back of the cover broken away to show more clearly the windowed arrangements in the latter;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the instruction guide or card which may be printed on the obverse face of the pictorial illustration of the specific floral arrangement which may be viewed from one of the windows in the cover shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the different floral components and the mounting block thereof which are contained in the box shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the pictorial representation in color which is printed on the front face of the instruction card, illustrating the floral arrangement which may be created by following the instructions for mounting the flowers contained in the box in the porous block provided therefor; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a modified shape of porous block which is designed as a support for another type of floral arrangement, adapted for placement in a rectangular receptacle rather than a circular one.

The drawings illustrate a mode of packaging and marketing artificial flowers having a great appeal to the purchasing public for many reasons, and because of the many advantages accruing therefrom.

FIG. 1 illustrates one of many assortments of artificial flowers, and there may be dozens of such assortments, to meet the tastes and desires of the purchasing public. The exact quantity of floral components which are necessary to attain a desired floral effect is packaged within the container it), having a cover 11, which may be formed of cardboard or any other box material and of any desired design. Thus, the box and cover may be of integral con struction as shown, or may be of separated construction, and the cover may have different arrangements of flaps other than the front and side flaps as shown in FIG. 2.

Two display openings 12 and 13 are provided in the cover, and a sheet of glassine, Cellophane or other transparent material 14 is adapted to be affixed on the inside face of the cover to maintain the flowers F in clean condition during shipment and storage. Preferably, a pocket 15 is provided adjacent one of the openings 12 adapted to receive a printed guide or card 16, hearing on its outer face a pictorial illustration in color of the floral assembly as the same has been designed to be arranged by an artist skilled in the art of flower arranging. The colored pictorial illustration 17 is visible through the window opening 12 and serves to give the purchaser a clear idea of what can be done with the contents of the specific package under consideration. The arrangement can, of course, be identified by some fanciful name designation, for example Little Fiesta. The obverse face 18 of the picture bearer 16 (FIG. 3), which is designed to be received in the pocket 15 on the inside face of the cover, may be imprinted with the identifying designation of the specific assortment by the specific name, Little Fiesta, and this name may also be imprinted on a label or directly on the outside of the container. The face 18 of the card 16 bears guiding instructions thereon which include a suggestion for a specific container designed to accentuate the esthetic effects which are produced by the specific assortment of artificial flowers. Thus, this card may bear the sug gestion that the container B for the flowers be a yellow bowl about 2 /2 high and 5" in diameter.

A block 19 of styrofoam or other hard porous material is disposed in the box and is so shaped and dimensioned that the same can be accommodated in the bowl B of suggested size. The outline 25 of this block appears on the instruction sheet 18 with numerical guides indicated thereon for mounting the stems of the several floral and plant components to attain, with no difiiculty whatever, the floral effect illustrated in the pictorial representation 17, and which is accentuated by the choice of a flower bowl or vase B of the suggested color which complements the colors of the several floral components. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, the center of the flower arrangement is dominated by a single sprig of red-orange Scotch broom which is designated by numeral 1 in the guide diagram 25 as well as in the catalogue of floral components thereabove. This floral element is adapted to be inserted to one side of the vertical center line of the styrofoam block, which is balanced by a sprig of yellow passion flowers, designated by numeral 2, and which is adapted to be inserted on the opposite side of the vertical median of the block. The assortment contains two sets 3 of red passion flower clusters which are adapted to be inserted in the block at the vertical median thereof above and below the above-mentioned flowers 1 and 2. A pair of philodendron clusters, which are identified by the numeral 4 in FIG. 4, are designed to be impaled into the styrofoam block in the position 4 indicated in the guide diagram 25 shown in FIG. 3, to complete the arrangement illustrated in the pictorial representation shown in FIG. 5 which is visible from the exterior of the box, as indicated in FIG. 1.

The floral and plant components in FIG. 4 are molded of colored plastic resin materials and assembled in a manner well known in the art of artificial flower manufacture, and the purchaser may flex and bend some of the stems to simulate, as closely as he wishes, the illustrated arrangement, or modify it if he wishes to assert his own creative artistic talents in this area.

FIG. 4 illustrates the styrofoam block 19 which is designed to be inserted into a flower bowl B, as indicated in FIG. 5. Preferably the block 19 may be mounted fixedly in the bottom of the bowl B, and in order to attain this securement, the block is coated with a layer of adhesive 20 on the bottom face thereof, which is protected by a layer of fabric or paper 21 which may be stripped therefrom at the time of utilization to prevent the dryingout and deterioration of this adhesive.

As stated above, the illustrated embodiment may be one of many assortments designed for flower receptacles of many different shapes and sizes, and instead of a circular vase as shown, an elliptical boWl may be used, necessitating a block of styrofoam of corresponding shape.

FIG. 6 illustrates a rectangular block 22 of styrofoam which is coated with an adhesive layer 23 at the base thereof for aflixation to a bowl or receptacle of rectangular outline. A covering strip 24 for the adhesive is 1; shown in FIG. 6, which is designed to be removed similarly to the protective strip 20 in FIG. 4.

While a box having elliptical openings in the cover, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is especially appealing and ornamental, the outlines of such openings may be varied as desired, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

While I have described my invention as embodied in a specific form and as operating in a specific manner for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto, since various modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. A do-it-yourself kit for producing an artificial plant arrangement comprising a container, a plurality of species of artificial plants within said container in sufficient quantity to constitute a highly esthetic plant arrangement, a cover for said container and plants therein provided with two windowed openings, a picture in color of the desired finished plant arrangement mounted on the inside of said cover at one of said windowed openings and adapted to be viewed from the outside of said container, the other one of said windowed openings serving as an inspection Window for the contents of the container, a block of foam plastic of predetermined configuration positioned within said container and adapted to be placed within a specially contoured receptacle and to have impaled therein the stems of the plants at predetermined locations in said block to attain the plant arrangement illustrated in said picture, and a printed instruction guide within said container indicating the locations on said block at which the respective plants should be inserted to attain the aforesaid esthetic effect.

2. A do-it-yourself kit for producing an artificial floral arrangement comprising a paper box and cover therefor, a plurality of species of artificial flowers and greens within said box in suflicient quantity to constitute a highly esthetic floral arrangement, said cover for said container and flowers therein having two window openings therein fitted with a transparent backing on the inside of said cover, a picture-bearing print with a picture in color thereon of the desired finished floral arrangement mounted on the inside of said cover at one of said windowed openings and adapted to be viewed from the outside of said box, the other one of said windowed openings serving as an inspection window for the contents of the box, a hard porous plastic block of predetermined configuration positioned within said box and adapted to be placed within a specially shaped floral receptacle and to have impaled therein the stems of the artificial flowers and greens at predetermined locations in said block to attain the floral arrangement illustrated in said picture, and a printed instruction guide on said picture-bearing print indicating the locations on said block at which the respective flowers and greens should be inserted to attain the aforesaid floral arrangement.

3. A do-it-yourself kit for producing an artificial floral arrangement comprising a paper box and cover therefor, a plurality of species of artificial flowers witl1- in said box in the exact quantity to constitute a highly esthetic floral arrangement, said cover for said container and flowers therein having two window openings therein fitted with a transparent backing on the inside of said cover, a card bearing a picture in color of the desired finished floral arrangement on one face thereof mounted detachably on the inside of said cover at one of said windowed openings and adapted to be viewed from the outside of said box, the other one of said windowed openings serving as an inspection window for the contents of the box, a hard porous plastic block of predetermined configuration positioned within said box and adapted to be placed within a specially contoured floral receptacle and to have impaled therein the stems of the artificial flowers at predetermined locations in said block to attain the floral arrangement illustrated in said picture, and a printed instruction guide on the opposite face of said card including a diagram of said plastic block and suggested points of insertion of said stems therein, to attain the 5 it is adapted to be inserted, and a protective cover for 10 said coating which is adapted to be removed preparatory to the placement of said block into said receptacle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,150,708 Schlecht Aug. 17, 1915 2,664,670 Mulford Jan. 5, 1954 2,932,384 Johnnides Apr. 12, 1960 3,078,985 Robinson Feb. 26, 1963 

1. A "DO-IT-YOURSELF" KIT FOR PRODUCING AN ARTIFICIAL PLANT ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING A CONTAINER, A PLURALITY OF SPECIES OF ARTIFICIAL PLANTS WITHIN SAID CONTAINER IN SUFFICIENT QUANTITY TO CONSTITUTE A HIGHLY ESTHETIC PLANT ARRANGEMENT, A COVER FOR SAID CONTAINER AND PLANTS THEREIN PROVIDED WITH TWO WINDOWED OPENINGS, A PICTURE IN COLOR OF THE DESIRED FINISHED PLANT ARRANGEMENT MOUNTED ON THE INSIDE OF SAID COVER AT ONE OF SAID WINDOWED OPENINGS AND ADAPTED TO BE VIEWED FROM THE OUTSIDE OF SAID CONTAINER, THE OTHER ONE OF SAID WINDOWED OPENINGS SERVING AS AN INSPECTION WINDOW FOR THE CONTENTS OF THE CONTAINER, A BLOCK OF FOAM PLASTIC OF PREDETERMINED CONFIGURATION POSITIONED WITHIN SAID CONTAINER AND ADAPTED TO BE PLACED WITHIN A SPECIALLY CONTOURED RECEPTACLE AND TO HAVE IMPALED THEREIN THE STEMS OF THE PLANTS AT PREDETERMINED LOCATIONS IN SAID BLOCK TO ATTAIN THE PLANT ARRANGEMENT ILLUSTRATED IN SAID PICTURE, AND A PRINTED INSTRUCTION GUIDE WITHIN SAID CONTAINER INDICATING THE LOCATIONS ON SAID BLOCK AT WHICH THE RESPECTIVE PLANTS SHOULD BE INSERTED TO ATTAIN THE AFORESAID ESTHETIC EFFECT. 